Chris Stenberg dot com » USA

I Heart You Austin Texas

Chris Stenberg — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:38:15 +0000

Austin Texas Skyline

Wed Sep 30- Denver International Airport – I have a desperate beer craving. I take one look around at the people in the airport and realize that I don’t want beer anymore — due to the lower alcohol content beer in the USA is all fat and no glory. I opt for an awful looking meal at the Wolfgang Puck express. I promised myself I would never eat here again. This is third time since.

I fly into Austin. It has taken forever from Penticton. I get downtown and head out for a drink. I still have a beer craving and purge previous imagery from my mind. They have 2 kinds of Texas Beer at Maggie Maes on 6th Street: Shiner Bock ($5), and Lonestar ($2). I opt for the Lonestar. It tastes fantastically awful.

I stand on the rooftop patio along with all of 3 other people in the warm breeze listening to a one man cover band belt out blue collar rock. I get a Jameson on the rocks and drop $5 into the musician’s tip jar requesting “Interstate Love Song” by STP. The guy kills it. I go back to the nice-enough but character lacking hotel that is the Hilton Garden Inn and stay up for another 3 hours thinking about blogging and fiddling with WordPress stuff.

Thurs Oct 1 – I overestimate my ability to get out of bed early and realize that today I actually don’t have to — but only after hitting snooze on the iPhone about 15 times. I pack my stuff and move to my new hotel, The Mansion at Judges Hill, located far from anything interesting. It’s bad planning except for they are nice enough to solve my missing deodorant and contact solution problem at no charge. I settle in and then walk about 3km to Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop which is owned by Lance Armstrong. The place oozes with Lanceaphanalia including a bunch of Tour de France winning road bikes — no big deal. The girl in the coffee shop is cute.

I get a coffee, update my Twitter, and then spend a bunch of money on Mellow Johnny’s spandex bike apparel. The weather has cleared up a little and I walk back to my hotel in the sauna like heat. I order room service and catch up with Kelly, my coworker in crime. I head out to film some partygoer interviews for Hornitos Tequila at The Speakeasy, then hit the streets for multiple kinds of street meat (tacos/dogs). We catch a pedicab about 25 blocks. Our aging pedicab driver is sweating bullets by the time we get there. We pay him 50 bucks.

Fri Oct 2 – The day starts with me bitter about not having a bike for the Livestrong ride with Lance Armstrong. Wish I was there, but since I can’t be I sleep. I spend most of the day at Cafe Medici near UT Austin, and then have a nap. I head out on the town, pick up my tickets for Devotchka at the LaZona Rosa, but they don’t have food, so I forgo the opening act in favour of eating. I hit up Ranch 616 and have a surprisingly amazing meal with Hawaiian Walu and Ceviche. Is Austin close to an ocean? This fish is really fresh. I’m surrounded at the bar by one Jim-Bob and another Jimmy-Joe. I love Texas! The bartender, Josh (probably short for Jimmy-Josh), buys me a large shot of Don Julio 1942 which is probably one of the smoothest and most expensive tequila’s I have ever had. Jim-Bob, 60-ish but with a full head of curly silver hair, tan leather vest, and bolero, advises me on the finer points of life, Austin, and drinking. He’s given up booze for cranberry/soda (the mixture slightly resembles an alcoholic beverage). I respect the choice, but down a couple more Herradura Silver margaritas and head out to the Devotchka show. They kick ass like only an Eastern Bloc band can. I Leave the show and walk back to the hotel, but stop for a Roppolo’s pizza on the way. Rock on!

In the crowd at ACL

Saturday Oct 3 – Wake up late for Austin time, but reasonable for Vancouver time on a Saturday. Want/need coffee but I’m too slow. I have a wristband for Austin City Limits Festival. Only one problem…it previously belonged to someone with much smaller hands. My co-worker in crime and I surgically alter the sophisticated wristband to fit me. It’s impressive. Nobody will know.

Trying to get a cab or a bus from our ridiculously located $300/night hotel proves fruitless. We walk to the ACL fest shuttle. Get to the concert where they give my wristband a good tug — it holds thanks to a very well concealed piece of scotch tape. It’s crazy busy! We check out the Felice Brothers. They rule the stage and seem pumped just to be playing ACL. We also see a random assortment of other cool bands and also some lackluster performances by Grizzly Bear and Canadian rocker Sam Roberts. At some point it starts pouring rain. We’re soaked. We eat tacos — repeatedly. Head back in the rain. End up totally drenched. Hit up Cafe Medici for a cappuccino. It’s a perfect coffee shop day. I go for a jog. Co-worker in crime goes for a nap. Eat dinner. Head out to work the Hornitos Mischieve event at Mohawk.

Sunday Oct 4 – Wake up, pack, get taxi. Taxi doesn’t show. Stupid hotel. I start walking with all my luggage & gear after 40 minutes of waiting. I make it about 7 blocks before I am sweating like a toilet on a hot day. Turns out they called some obscure cab company, “Lonestar.” I wonder how any band or any business from Texas could succeed with a name like Lonestar. I decide to name my future band “Smith.”

I arrive at my new hotel The Driskill after finding a pile of cabs outside another much cheaper hotel. Hmmm. Crash for a bit then pick up my rental bike from Mellow Johnny’s, ride around and then have another nap. Decide to skip Pearl Jam at ACL for some smaller venue entertainment. Eat at Ranch 616 again and then hit up a couple of small venues followed by Halcyon. Have a good chat with the bartenders, but then over a Sazerac Manhattan, end up talking to some crazy former nurse/now bartender dude that tells me a story about a guy who came into the hospital after getting his ball sac caught in a belt sander at work. He was too embarrassed to go to the hospital, so he used a staple gun to put his bits back together. Not so long after this he gets a massive infection and elephantiasis of the testicles. I vomit in my mouth a little. It becomes very clear to me that when you have issues with your genitals, particularly if they are caught in some piece of machinery, do not try to DIY. The Mancode will forgive you on this one.

Monday Oct 5 – I wake up late…again, but I don’t really care. I’m spending an extra couple of days in Austin to make up for much needed time off. I don my new Mellow Johnny’s spandex and call the valet to get my rental bike. I ride all over Austin, but not really sure where exactly. I end up in some hilly suburbs with some pretty amazing houses. It strikes me as strange that in a town with a massive water shortage people all seem to have such nice lawns. Nonetheless the residential architecture in Austin is impressive. Riding these streets is like flipping the pages of Dwell Magazine. I head back into the city to shower and return my bike.

I grab a coffee at Juan Pelota Coffee Shop in Mellow Johnny’s just as the women’s group bike ride is gathering for the evening. I decide to hang out for a few minutes. After ogling fit spandex clad women (sorry, it was difficult not to) I head back to the hotel for a nap before heading out to the South Congress area. My friend Google told me that there’s a great little spot called The South Congress Cafe, so I walk until I find it. My feet are starting to hurt from all of the walking. I really like this place, but don’t have any pictures of it as my iPhone mysteriously crapped out on the way to the restaurant. This forces me to make conversation with the locals like a civilized person. I have a nice meal and a couple glasses of wine before I bid my new friends adieu. I head down the street to the San Jose Hotel bar, an old motel converted into a modern yuppy hotel. I try to order a cocktail, but they only serve beer and wine. I’m starting to like this place even more. Next time I’m staying here! There’s not much happening at this point so I decide to walk back to the Driskill and hit the sack.

Tuesday Oct 6 – My flight is in the afternoon, so I wake up at a reasonable time and make the long trek back to South Congress to sample what is supposed to be Austin’s best coffee at Jo’s Coffee Shop. It’s pretty damn good, and probably one of the coolest coffee shops that I’ve been to. After enjoying my morning coffee street side in the sun I head back to the hotel, pack, eat lunch, and head out to the airport. I pick up a bottle of premium booze on the way for good measure. Alcohol in the US is about 1/2 the price of the equivalent in Canada, so even though I likely don’t need this bottle I deem it worthwhile.

I make it from Austin to Denver to find my plane delayed. Apparently there is a hole in a panel somewhere and it needs to be fixed. The United Airlines flight attendant in-charge tells us she’s not sure why they don’t just replace the plane. I could have been spared those details I think.

I finally arrive in Vancouver only to have a tight 30 minutes to get to my connecting flight home to Penticton. Miraculously, but with a lot of sweat, I make it from arriving gate, through immigration, through baggage claim, baggage check, security, and a horde of slow moving people to my plane. The pilot generously delays the takeoff and opens the door so I can make it home. The entire plane looks at me like I’m some punk idiot that was irresponsibly late for his flight. I flip them all the bird, take my seat and settle in for the noisy bumpy ride back to Penticton. I’ll miss you Austin Texas, but I will be back!

Le Montrose Hotel Review

Chris Stenberg — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:03:12 +0000

Overall Impression
Le Montrose was kind of a disappointment. It looked great online, but in actuality it was pretty average. It is located on a residential side street off of Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. It is not particularly close to anything and the hotel amenities were not enough for me to stay and enjoy my time at the hotel. There is a small roof top pool, but the seats fill up quickly. The lobby bar and restaurant were quite dismal also. I would only stay here if I were on a budget and got a fantastic rate. The room was big, but nothing special otherwise.

My Rating: 3 stars

Value Range: $120-$175 USD per night

My recommendation: Stay on good rate only

Location
Not convenient. The hotel is located Toward the end of the West Hollywood Sunset strip and a bit far from amenities. There are some cool shops and eateries down from the hotel on Santa Monica Boulevard, but it is at least a 10 minute walk to anything good.

Amenities
Small rooftop pool and mediocre fitness room.

Service
The front desk staff here was friendly and helpful. Service in the restaurant was terrible.

Elevator Speed
The elevator was fine.

Atmosphere
Wannabe boutique hotel.

Bed Comfort
The bed was comfortable, but could have been better.

Internet
Free internet!

Room Cleanliness
The room was clean, but felt a bit dated.

Toiletries
Average toiletries.

Family Friendly
Yes, but you’ll be driving everywhere which may not be friendly.

Rates
Rates are posted in the $200-$300USD range. Don’t go here for more than $200 per night. Actually make that $175.

Other Notes
Not much to add here.

Number of Stays
1

When
Summer 2009

Frequent Flyer Miles / Hotel Points
No.

Viceroy Hotel Santa Monica

Chris Stenberg — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 21:47:21 +0000

Overall Impression
The Viceroy is just plain cool. It’s a bit eclectic, but it is one of the hot places to be in Santa Monica. The hotel has a great poolside scene with cabanas and poolside dining. The lounge is a great place to hide from the heat and catch a drink. Decor is eclectic, and there is often something going on around the hotel. I’ve seen photo shoots in the background while I eat breakfast, the hotel has been featured on Entourage, etc.

My Rating: 5 stars

Value Range: $300-$500 USD per night

Sheraton Delfina Santa Monica Hotel Review

Chris Stenberg — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:24:12 +0000

Overall Impression
I like this hotel. The lobby feels very California oceanside. Dim lighting, dark wood, shutters, high ceilings. It feels like a Hollister or Abercrombie store. The location is about 5-10 minutes walking from the beach. There is a car rental place nearby and walking to the 3rd Street Promenade is not too much of a chore. If you don’t like walking you may want to stay closer to the shops or the beach, whichever you fancy most. The rooms are nice. If you’re looking for ocean view stay elsewhere, but this hotel is good value for the money.

My Rating: 4 stars

Value Range: $175-$250 USD per night

Location
The hotel feels like it is on an urban island, but it is not far from most things you want to do in Santa Monica. They also offer a shuttle service to destinations close to the hotel. The beach is a short walk. I recommend renting a bike by the Santa Monica Pier and riding the walkway out to Venice Beach.

Amenities
Pool and fitness center are both decent, but not super luxury.

Service
I have always had good service here.

Elevator Speed
The elevators here are a bit slow and usually busy. Expect to wait around for them to show up.

Atmosphere
Relaxed Old school California chic. Walking into the lobby is like walking onto a different planet compare to the exterior.

Bed Comfort
Beds are nice.

Internet
This is a Starwood Hotel so they pillage you at about $15 per day.

Room Cleanliness
Clean and nice.

Toiletries
The usual boring Sheraton fare.

Family Friendly
Yes.

Rates
Rates here seem consistently around $200 per night.

Other Notes
The Viceroy hotel down the street is quite cool too, but this one is more affordable. Sometimes I’ll stay here and just go for drinks at The Viceroy.

Number of Stays
4

When
Winter 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009

Frequent Flyer Miles / Hotel Points
Starwood points which convert to many different airlines.

Standard Hotel Hollywood Review

Chris Stenberg — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:11:15 +0000

Overall Impression
The Standard Hotel Hollywood is part kitsch, part boutique. The lobby has a glass fish tank behind the front desk where a model lives for most of the day reading, checking her email, etc., and the patio ground is adorned with blue astro turf. The rooms are modern, but also a bit tacky. Think Ikea meets bright blue and orange color scheme. The building itself is a 60′s apartment building renovated into a boutique hotel. It is certainly a fun place to stay, and the beds are comfortable, but don’t think high-end. The crowd is a mix of the younger L.A. set — wannabe hipsters, and the usual plastics.

My Rating: 3 stars

Value Range: $150-$225 USD per night

Recommended, but only if you enjoy a hotel with a party vibe

Location
The location on Sunset Boulevard is close to West Hollywood bars and clubs and a short 10-15 minute drive to Hollywood tourist attractions. The beach is nowhere to be seen, so if you’re into that it would be better to stay somewhere close to the ocean. Beverly Hills shopping is also a reasonably short drive.

Amenities
The outdoor pool is fun to lounge by, but it’s pretty small. There is an upscale-ish 24hr diner on site and also a hair salon.

Service
The service here has always been good.

Elevator Speed
I have always stayed on the first floor, so I don’t know.

Atmosphere
Tacky meets Ikea.

Bed Comfort
The bed and bedding were decent.

Internet
Free internet. Always a plus.

Room Cleanliness
Clean, but starting to get a little bit dingy around the edges.

Toiletries
“Standard” branded toiletries which I actually liked.

Family Friendly
Hmmm. That would depend on what you’re family is like.

Rates
I paid just under $200USD per night. For LA that is not too bad. I don’t think I would pay too much more than that for this hotel.

Other Notes
Stay here if you want to party and hit up the West Hollywood clubs like Whisky A-Go-Go or the Viper Room.

Number of Stays
2

When
Spring 2009, Summer 2009

Frequent Flyer Miles / Hotel Points
Not to my knowledge.

Ace Hotel Seattle Review

Chris Stenberg — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 15:57:43 +0000

Overall Impression
On the one hand I really like the Ace Hotel, on the other hand I don’t like it. I would consider the Ace more like a luxury hostel than a boutique hotel. With that said, I would probably stay here again if I was on a solo business trip or if I was with some friends and wanted to spend a weekend on the town in Seattle. The rooms are decent, but certainly not up to “boutique hotel” standards. Things were a little dingy, but the service was good, and the location is convenient to Belltown nightlife and Pike’s Market.

My Rating: 3 stars

Value Range: $100-$150 USD per night

My recommendation: Stay on Good Rate

Location
Great location for Belltown and Pike’s Market.

Amenities
None really.

Service
Service was limited to front desk staff, but they were friendly and helpful.

Elevator Speed
No elevator, but there is a long flight of stairs to drag your bag up.

Atmosphere
Backpacker chic.

Bed Comfort
The bed was decent, but not top notch.

Internet
Free internet!!

Room Cleanliness
Clean where it counted, but a little dingy all around.

Toiletries
Rudy’s toiletries

Family Friendly
Not really.

Rates
I paid around $150USD in Spring 2009. I wouldn’t pay more than that to stay here.

Other Notes
This hotel feels like an upscale boutique backpacker’s hostel. It is quite cool and I like the design, but I wouldn’t pay full rate to stay here.

Number of Stays
1

When
Spring 2009

Frequent Flyer Miles / Hotel Points
No.

The James Hotel Chicago

Chris Stenberg — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:41:17 +0000

This is my third stay at The James Hotel in Chicago, and I have to say there is a reason, or possibly ten reasons, why I keep coming back. The staff here is fantastic, and the rooms are great. The James has a modern, youthful vibe — minus the pretension. Upon check-in the clerk reminded me that that this is my home, so I should make any requests to make ‘home’ the way that I want it. I’m a pretty easy going person, so I’ll take this place ‘as is.’

The James has a great location close to a wide variety of eateries and shopping on the Magnificent Mile. There’s even a Trader Joe’s and a Starbucks across the street. An AMC Theatre is literally around the corner. All this makes The James one of my all time favourite hotels in the USA.

[update March 2009]

I return to The James once again and can honestly say this is my favourite hotel in North America. The staff are an A1 class act. Everybody here is super friendly and professional, but without being over the top. The atmosphere is modern, but classy. Basically The James has achieved balance. Staying at the James is a real throwback to the days of good old fashioned service. I love it here.

My Bed at the James Hotel

They mistook me for someone important and sent this to my room

The awesome mini bar selection

View from bed to living area

Mini bar area

Chicago Hot Dog Chronicles

Chris Stenberg — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 08:16:53 +0000

Chicago Dog at the Mall at 900 Michigan Ave - Magnificent Mile Shopping Mall

Similar to my Montreal Poutine adventures I seem to have developed an unnatural fascination with Chicago style hot dogs, so this trip I somehow managed to eat at least 4 different Chicago Dogs in 3 days. Post trip, I’ve even started making them at home. Hello coronary angioplasty.

Branko's near Depaul University

There’s something about eating hot dogs that just seems fun. I mean it’s so wrong, but so right all at the same time. The Chicago version seems more gourmet than the average street meat giving this childish food a sophisticated touch.

The ingredients for a Chicago dog are fairly simple, but can be tough to fit all in the bun. Somewhere in the windy city there is probably a masterclass in Chicago Dog preparation, but from my limited experience this is what I gather.

It starts with a poppyseed bun, followed by an all beef smokie, tomato wedges, jalapeno, a dill pickle quartered lengthwise, special Chicago relish, mustard, and celery salt. The hot dog itself is usually Vienna beef or something of high grade and is always steamed or boiled — never grilled. There is also no ketchup on a Chicago Dog. I’m sure there are many variations and local twists and I’m looking forward to trying them. I’m not usually a fast food kind of guy, but the Chicago dog pretty much rules the fast food world in my mind. Below are some photos of my Chicago hot dog adventure. If I arrive at a “best of” at any point I will be sure to let you know! Until the next time, may the meat be with you.

A few links:

Portillo’s (many locations)

Branko’s Sandwich Shop

Hot Doug’s

Chicago Dog at Branko's near Depaul University

Portillo's Chicago Dog

Old school hot dog signs at Branko's

Hotel on Rivington New York Review

Chris Stenberg — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 15:23:37 +0000

Rivington Lobby Entrance

Overall Impression
The Rivington is a modern building in the middle of an old school Lower East Side Manhattan, and is an example of what the LES is becoming. The hotel is eclectic chic. The lobby and bar are borderline tacky, but somehow really cool. The rooms are clean and sleek — small, but not tiny. The shower is an exhibitionists dream with a partially frosted glass window and a view out to the street or alley. All in all I like the Rivington, and the Lower East Side is now one of Manhattan’s most interesting neighbourhoods with loads of cool bars and eateries. My only warning is that this hotel is a “cool” hotel. If you prefer something a little more traditional there are plenty of other hotels that are more classic.

My Rating: 5 stars

Value Range: $200-$300 USD per night

W Hotel Times Square Review

Chris Stenberg — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:58:39 +0000

Overall Impression
The W is a cool place to hang out in Times Square, but it’s not cheap. The hotel is modern, sleek, and well appointed. If it’s your first time in the big apple paying extra for a Times Square view room may be worth it. This is a top notch hotel and priced like one too. Drinks in the W bar are in the $15 range, but Times Square is like a tourist island, so it’s to be expected. I would recommend this hotel for anyone wanting to experience the Times Square/Theatre District for the first time or as a romantic getaway when budget is no object.

Chris Stenberg dot com » USA

I Heart You Austin Texas

Le Montrose Hotel Review

My Rating: 3 stars

Value Range: $120-$175 USD per night

My recommendation: Stay on good rate only

Viceroy Hotel Santa Monica

My Rating: 5 stars

Value Range: $300-$500 USD per night

Recommended

Sheraton Delfina Santa Monica Hotel Review

My Rating: 4 stars

Value Range: $175-$250 USD per night

Recommended

Standard Hotel Hollywood Review

My Rating: 3 stars

Value Range: $150-$225 USD per night

Recommended, but only if you enjoy a hotel with a party vibe

Ace Hotel Seattle Review

My Rating: 3 stars

Value Range: $100-$150 USD per night

My recommendation: Stay on Good Rate

The James Hotel Chicago

Chicago Hot Dog Chronicles

Hotel on Rivington New York Review

My Rating: 5 stars

Value Range: $200-$300 USD per night

Recommended

W Hotel Times Square Review

My Rating: 5 stars

Value Range: $300 + USD per night

Recommended